Valeria felt her world spinning out of control around her. She tried to hold on to one of the waiting room chairs, but finally Richard's arms were all that kept her from going face first into the floor.

“There's got to be something we can do!” Layla cried. “He can't stay like this forever, it's not fair.”

“No, it's not,” said the doctor. “But right now we can only hope and pray for the best.”

Valeria couldn't count the tears she shed that day, or the next, or the next, as she waited for Nick to wake up with no results.

“Either you get up and get to your feet, or I'm going to ask Amelia to sedate you!” Andrew warned her.

“I should have forgiven him,” Valeria muttered, looking at Nick. He was unconscious, connected to an oxygen line and looking too calm. “I had the chance, I had plenty of chances...”

“Doll, you can't do this to yourself...”

“No one can say he didn't fight every chance he got.” Valeria wiped away her tears. “But I didn't want to forgive him.”

Andrew hugged her tig